Looking at a novation impulse 25 midi controller/keyboard. Curious to know if anyone has experience using Novation MIDI keyboard controllers with sonar. Particularly interested in experience with mapping to Sonar. Also, open to other suggestions for 25 key midi keyboard controllers that work well with sonar.

My must-haves are 25 keys, full-size keys, drum pads. Going to use it primarily for "finger playing" drums like Addictive Drums 2 and playing various VST instruments. I have an 88-key hammer-action stage piano for full on piano playing/recording. Looking for more of a synth key feel. I'm considering Nektar, but that brand seems to hardly be on any radars/reviews in terms of "top keyboard controllers." What's up with that?

Budget is <$200 U.S.

I've also checked out M Audio controllers. Thanks for any input/insight/thoughts!

I'll offer my opinion - others' opinions may vary:
 
I have a Novation Impulse 49 that I used for several years.
The keyboard itself is VERY nice, IMHO ~
The keybed, pads, rotary & slide controls all feel and work great, and it has some VERY cool programmable arp and key-split functions.
 
However, the Automap control surface implementation with Sonar, for me at least, has always basically sucked.
Windows 7 and 8, Sonar X3 and Platinum, varying versions of Automap.
Unreliable, difficult to map, control dropouts for no apparent reason, etc., etc.
Manually mapping to VST controls without using Automap probably works fine.
 
I wound up using Azlow's great Sonar utility (search the forums here) and a custom setup for the Impulse 61 posted on his website.  Worked pretty well for the most part, but for some reason it always remapped the MIDI channel on the Mod wheel, and I never dug deep enough into the utility to figure out why the channel was changing. Work arounds are easy enough to implement with some track settings in Sonar, but for me it was still a bit of a PITA to have to worry with all the time.
 
In no longer use my Impulse 49 as my primary controller for Sonar, but it's still a GREAT keyboard for controlling individual VST's and external modules. If you can get one in your price range and aren't too concerned about control surface implementation in Sonar (or don't mind the chance you'll need to tinker a lot to get the faders and knobs to map properly in 'mixer' mode), it will probably work fine for you.
 
FWIW...
 
 

Hi all i have sent a mail to Novation to resolve the automap problems (doesn't recognise Sonar) and a Sonar Platinum crash related.
they are working on the Sonar Platinum fixes...
Impulse is a very good controller
Best

rivers88
I'll offer my opinion - others' opinions may vary:
 
I have a Novation Impulse 49 that I used for several years.
The keyboard itself is VERY nice, IMHO ~
The keybed, pads, rotary & slide controls all feel and work great, and it has some VERY cool programmable arp and key-split functions.
 
First, thank you for responding with your experience. I've read good things about the quality build of the Novation stuff.
 
However, the Automap control surface implementation with Sonar, for me at least, has always basically sucked.
Windows 7 and 8, Sonar X3 and Platinum, varying versions of Automap.
Unreliable, difficult to map, control dropouts for no apparent reason, etc., etc.
Manually mapping to VST controls without using Automap probably works fine.
 
Hmm... from what I've read online and the forum and such, I'm starting to think there's not a keyboard controller out that maps well to Sonar, whereas a good majority of them do to a bunch of other DAW software. The Nektar controllers apparently have an automap function for Sonar, but I've not seen that brand listed anywhere as being on any "top 10," or whatever, list. So, quality is a concern.
 
I wound up using Azlow's great Sonar utility (search the forums here) and a custom setup for the Impulse 61 posted on his website.  Worked pretty well for the most part, but for some reason it always remapped the MIDI channel on the Mod wheel, and I never dug deep enough into the utility to figure out why the channel was changing. Work arounds are easy enough to implement with some track settings in Sonar, but for me it was still a bit of a PITA to have to worry with all the time.
 
Thanks! I'll definitely check Azlow's utility out.
 
In no longer use my Impulse 49 as my primary controller for Sonar, but it's still a GREAT keyboard for controlling individual VST's and external modules. If you can get one in your price range and aren't too concerned about control surface implementation in Sonar (or don't mind the chance you'll need to tinker a lot to get the faders and knobs to map properly in 'mixer' mode), it will probably work fine for you.
 
Curious to know what you're using for your primary controller and how that's working for you. Thanks again for the great info.
 
FWIW...
 
 

GIM Productions
Hi all i have sent a mail to Novation to resolve the automap problems (doesn't recognise Sonar) and a Sonar Platinum crash related.
they are working on the Sonar Platinum fixes...
Impulse is a very good controller
Best

Hi. Thanks for posting this info. Hopefully, they'll get it worked out! 

Billy - 
 
I'm now using a Native Instruments S-61 as my primary controller, primarily due to it's deep integration with ever-growing list of Komplete synths and libraries - 
Plus, it really has some cool features when used with Komplete Kontrol, and it looks really cool!
(I dig the lights - it's a nice complement to my analog synth/modular rack ). 
I'm very happy with the quality and feel of the keys and controls, but no pads.
 
It's a nice keyboard - 
but even on sale, NI is VERY proud of their latest hardware offering, and the price reflects it! 
 
The S-61 also doesn't seem to want to integrate well as a control surface, but I have found that a very inexpensive Korg NanoKontrol 2 works great, as does a Presonus FaderPort (also fairly inexpensive, especially if bought on sale).
 
I'll still use my Impulse as 2nd controller for VST's, external modules, and it's cool pad controls.
 
If you don't necessarily need a full-featured control surface for now, a good price on an Impulse 25 plus a NanoKontrol 2 would make for a nice, compact control combo for Sonar, IMHO!! 

rivers88
Billy - 
 
I'm now using a Native Instruments S-61 as my primary controller, primarily due to it's deep integration with ever-growing list of Komplete synths and libraries - 
Plus, it really has some cool features when used with Komplete Kontrol, and it looks really cool!
(I dig the lights - it's a nice complement to my analog synth/modular rack ).
Sweet!
 
I'm very happy with the quality and feel of the keys and controls, but no pads.
 
It's a nice keyboard - 
but even on sale, NI is VERY proud of their latest hardware offering, and the price reflects it! 
Yeah. Ouch on the price. Even the little 25 key is up there!
 
The S-61 also doesn't seem to want to integrate well as a control surface, but I have found that a very inexpensive Korg NanoKontrol 2 works great, as does a Presonus FaderPort (also fairly inexpensive, especially if bought on sale).
 
I'll still use my Impulse as 2nd controller for VST's, external modules, and it's cool pad controls.
 
If you don't necessarily need a full-featured control surface for now, a good price on an Impulse 25 plus a NanoKontrol 2 would make for a nice, compact control combo for Sonar, IMHO!! 
 
Yeah! That NanoKontrol 2 looks great in combo with the Impulse 25. That'd be all I need... for now.
 
Quick question. I'm a complete Newb with NI. If I want to use their Guitar Rig 5 plugin in, do I also need one of the Komplete Players pack to use it in Sonar? 

All the NI Komplete effects plugins will operate as standard VST effects under Sonar, so no additional player required.
The full version of Guitar Rig also operates as a standalone instrument effect outside of a DAW. The free player version is just a limited version of Guitar Rig that demos a few libraries and sucks you in to buying the full version. 
 
A quick FYI on the NanoKontrol 2 if you decide to go that route - 
Be sure to check the owner's manual for setting it up the first time for use with Sonar.
Also, if you're running Windows 8.1 or later, try using it "without" installing the Korg driver.
If it works with the native Windows support (which is does on my PC), that's one less driver you would have to worry about down the road.
 
For $59.99 (current Sweetwater price), the NanoKontrol 2 is hard to beat for a compact control surface - 
Using it with Sonar Platinum, I can control the transport, track skip, marker skip, loop on/off, and 8 individual tracks with volume fader, solo, mute, record, and pan. No "master bus" volume fader, but for the price, I don't mind!

Billy86

GIM Productions
Hi all i have sent a mail to Novation to resolve the automap problems (doesn't recognise Sonar) and a Sonar Platinum crash related.
they are working on the Sonar Platinum fixes...
Impulse is a very good controller
Best

Hi. Thanks for posting this info. Hopefully, they'll get it worked out! 

Hi billy it's out now on novation beta site,now automap recognize Sonar Platinum!!
Am i a magician???

GIM Productions

Billy86

GIM Productions
Hi all i have sent a mail to Novation to resolve the automap problems (doesn't recognise Sonar) and a Sonar Platinum crash related.
they are working on the Sonar Platinum fixes...
Impulse is a very good controller
Best

Hi. Thanks for posting this info. Hopefully, they'll get it worked out! 

Hi billy it's out now on novation beta site,now automap recognize Sonar Platinum!!
Am i a magician???

That would be great! Are you talking about this: https://us.novationmusic.com/software/automap#
It says its compatible with Sonar, but pretty much everything I read online says Novation mapping doesn't work. Unless this Automap 4 is a brand new go at it?